📷 Image Credits: The Times of India
Uttarakhand and Kerala have emerged as the top states in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) rankings in India, according to the latest report by NITI Aayog. The SDG India Index 2023-24 assesses sustainable development across states based on the United Nations’ SDGs, with India’s overall score improving to 71 points in 2023-24 from 66 points in 2020-21. This progress can be attributed to advancements in poverty reduction, economic growth, and climate action.
Among the 16 goals evaluated on a scale of 1 to 100, Kerala and Uttarakhand secured the highest scores of 79 points each, showcasing their commitment towards achieving sustainable development. On the other hand, Bihar lagged behind with 57 points, while Jharkhand scored 62 points. Significant improvements were noted in states like Punjab, Manipur, West Bengal, and Assam, which recorded an increase of 8 points to 76, 72, 70, and 65 points respectively.
The report highlights the impact of targeted interventions by the government in driving progress across the SDGs. The SDGs are a set of interconnected global goals established by the United Nations to be achieved by 2030. This year’s edition of the SDG India Index relied on 113 indicators to assess each state’s performance, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach to sustainable development.
The SDG goals that witnessed the highest increase in points included ‘No Poverty’, ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’, and ‘Life on Land’, reflecting the positive strides made in these areas. However, goals like ‘Gender Equality’ and ‘Peace, Justice, and Strong Institution’ showed marginal improvements, indicating areas that require focused attention.
One of the notable observations was the reduction in points under the ‘Reduced Inequalities’ goal, emphasizing the need to address wealth distribution issues and employment disparities. While progress has been made in reducing overall inequalities in India, challenges remain, particularly in areas like gender equality and labour force participation.
The report also sheds light on specific goals such as ‘Zero Poverty’, ‘Zero Hunger’, and ‘Quality of Education’, highlighting the need for targeted efforts to address issues like malnourishment, access to nutritious food, and improving the quality of education across states. The data underscores the importance of continuous monitoring and policy interventions to drive sustainable development goals in India.
Overall, the latest SDG India Index reflects the collective efforts of states in advancing towards a more sustainable future. The rankings serve as a valuable tool for identifying key areas of improvement and guiding policy decisions to accelerate progress towards achieving the SDGs.
